Multi-station shower fixture with sloping shower head panel



May 25 1965 H. H. LOGAN ETAI. 3,184,762

MULTI-STATION SHOWER FIXTURE WITH SLOPING SHOWER HEAD PANEL 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 1. 1960 INVENTUM Huarh' H. Loan/vGeoeas James E A/Lso/v J.' Dory May 25, 1965 H. H. LOGAN ETAL 3,184,752

MULTI-STATION SHOWER FIXTURE WITH SLOPING SHOWER HEAD PANEL OriginalFiled April 1, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CaLoWArER Hor WArgg rfaeA/fyfUnited States Patent G This application is a continuation of ourcopending application, Serial No. 186,705, filed April 11, 1962, en-

titled Multi-Station Shower Fixture With Sloping Shower Head Panel, nowabandoned, which was a continuation of our parent application, SerialNo. 19,270, filed April 1, 1960, also entitled Multi-Station ShowerFixture With Sloping Shower Head Panel, now abandoned.

This invention deals generally with multi-station shower fixtures of thetype used in schools, industrial establishments, and the like and has asits primary object to provide a multi-station shower fixture having anumber of unique features, including conservation of hot water, increasein simplicity of construction and corresponding decrease in cost ofmanufacture, improved structural stability, and increased ease of bothinstallation and maintenance.

In one ofits principal and preferred forms, the multiple shower fixtureof the invention comprises a free-standing, floor-mounted verticalcolumn in the form of an inverted cone or conical shell, about which aremounted a plurality of shower heads affording a plurality of showerstations. A prior art shower fixture intended for the same generalpurpose has used a stanchion in the form of a vertical pipe columnextending between and fixed at both the tioor and the ceiling. On anintermediate portion of this pipe column was mounted, by an arrangementof clamps, an enlarged shell of polygonal cross section, affording aplurality of vertically disposed panels, each of which mounted a showerhead and a valve handle. Hot and cold water supply piping was containedinside the shell, supplied by means of exposed hot and cold water pipesrunning, for instance, into the top of the polygonal shell, outside thepipe column. This prior art fixture was characterized by two maincomponents, a pipe column fastened to both floor and ceiling, and ahousing shell clamped onto an intermediate portion of the pipe column.The lower end of the pipe column of such a fixture is then mounted on adrain device which is sunk into the shower room floor.

It should be understood that shower fixtures for institutional uses aresubject to hazards, misuse and vandalism far beyond normal home or evenfactory expectations, and must, therefore, be fabricated with a view todefeat the various kinds of efforts which may be made to multilate, takeapart, deform, break down or tear away the equipment. A pipe column typeinstallation of the prior art type mentioned in the preceding paragraph,with its anchorages at both the iioor and ceiling, is fairly wellcapable of defeating ordinary efforts to bend it or break it loose byexertion of lateral force on the pipe column. However, if eitheranchorage were to be omitted, say that at the ceiling, the column couldbe rocked back and forth quite easily by force exerted at its upper end,and it would be easily subject to damage by such activity.

VA purpose of the present invention is to simplify the structuralmake-up and organization of a multi-station shower fixture of the typementioned, improve the lateral stability thereof, while holding theoverall bulk of the fixture at a substantial minimum, and at the sametime eliminate the necessity for anchoring the column both top 3,l84,7h2Patented May 25, 1965 fice and bottom. Taking into account the vandalismcommonly practiced in modern times in such places as institutionalshower rooms, a further purpose of the invention is to defeat in assimple a manner as possible the anticipated efforts of those so inclinedto bend or deform the installation, or break it free of its mounting. Inmeeting these stated purposes, the invention combines the structuralcomponents of the fixture into a single simple shell structure of uniqueform and minimized bulk which contributes such improved structuralintegrity that a simple mounting at one end thereof suffices for thenecessary strength and stability of the fixture, enabling it, amongother things, to resist successfully efforts to break it from itsmounting by attempts to rock it from side to side.

A further specic object of the invention is the provision, in acolumn-type multi-station shower fixture, of a unique form of housing orshell which at once combines the features of extreme simplicity ofconstruction and low cost of manufacture, attractiveness of appearance,natural accommodation to the equipment necessary to be housedtherewithin, inherent structural strength and lateral stability, asagainst both lateral thrusting and vibration, and ease of installationand maintenance.

A further purpose and corresponding improvement afforded by theinvention is the location of the shower heads and valve handles on aslanting panel, the shower heads substantially outward of the valvehandles, such as to constrain the bather to stand closer than usual tothe shower heads. A compact, so-called institutional-type shower head,rather than one on a long extended arm (such as is subject tovandalism), is used on the slanting panel. Notwithstanding the compactshower heads, the nozzle tips thereof are thereby naturally positionedin relative closeness to the bather when the bather stands with his handconveniently positioned for the water valves which are positioned loweron the same slanting panel. Since the heat loss from the shower waterincreases substantially with the distance between the shower nozzle andbather, this arrangement, i.e., the bather being encouraged orconstrained to stand substantially closer to the shower nozzle, resultsin considerable conservation of heat. The amount of heat so conservedduring a single shower bath is, of course, small, but multiplied by alarge number of bathers per day, and multiplied further by the number ofdays the shower facility may be in use during a year, reveais a materialmoney saving.

The invention in its preferred form broadly attains the aforementionedobjectives by the simple but ingenious substitution, for the pipe columnstanchion and clampedon hou-sing of the prior art, of a combined housingshell and column in the simple form of an inverted cone. Such a conenaturally affords the desired slanting surface or panel for mounting ofthe shower heads and valves, whereby the nozzle tips are positionedoutboard of the valve handles, as referred to earlier. To the smallbottom end of the cone is fixed a fiat mounting plate, and the entirefixture is mounted in place in the shower room by simply lifting it intoposition, with this fiat plate engaging a seat on the floor drain, andthen installing screws downward through said plate into the floor drain.Hot and cold water pipes extend upward through the center of the floordrain, and couple readily with corresponding pipes inside the shell. Theinstallation is so simple that it can be accomplished by two men in lessthan ten minutes. Moreover, it is strong, stable, and resistive of allordinary efforts to harm it, such as by attempting to rock it.

The cone or conical shell very simply and ingeniously fulfills thedesired functions mentioned hereinabove. The enlarging cross section inthe upper direction, continuous from base to top, results inprogressively greater stiffness in the upward direction, andcorresponding resistance to lateral deliection .and vibration. Secondly,the large conical upper end portion of the inverted cone accommodatesnicely the valves, manifolds and other piping necessary to be receivedin that part of the shell, while below this enlarged Aupper end portion,the cone tapers down `continuously and without weakening steps oroffsets to a diameter at the mounting base whuch remains adequate -fornecessary stiifness at that point.

The invention in some of its aspects may also be embodiedin cer-tainmodified forms, some of which will be described hereinafter.

The vinvention may be best understood from the following detaileddescription thereof, taken in connection with the annexed drawings,wherein:

PIG. 1 is a view in` side elevation and partially in section of thepresent free-standing shower fixture;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the xture of FlG. 1;

FG. 3 is an enlarged section through one of the soa-p dispensers on thelixture of FiG. l;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section throughV a portion of thefixture of FIG. 1;

FlG. 5 is an enlarged section taken along lined-6 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 6 6 of PEG. 4.

The shower fixture 16 illustrated in FlGS. 146 of these drawingscomprises an upper sheet metal housing or shell 12 and a lower base 14for mounting the shell 12 in an upright position on the floor 16 of ashower room. Base 14 has been illustrated as comprising a drain which isembedded in the oor 16. It `will become clear as the descriptionproceeds, however, that other types of mounting bases may be used on thefixture.

Shell 12 comprises a one-piece sheet metal structure Vhaving the uniqueinverted conical shape illustrated. When installed, the large diameterend of the shell isy uppermost. As will presently :be seen, thisinverted conical shape of the shell contributes several unique andhighly important functions and advantages.

Rigidly fixed to the lower, small diameter end of the shell 12, anddisposed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shell,is a flat, outwardly turned mounting ange or plate 18. This mountingflange or plate seats on a fiat upper seating `surface 26 on the base14. Screws 22 are inserted through holes in the mounting plate 1S andthreaded into the base 14 for rigidly securing theY shell 12 to thebase.

As mentioned earlier, the base 14 is illustrated as comprising a drain.This drainv includes a circular drain body 24 having an upstanding,center boss 26, the upper end of which is machined to provide theaforementioned seating surface 20. Drain body 24 defines an annulardrainage space 28, the bottom wall of which slopes to the right, as thedrain is Viewed in FIG. 1. Extending generally tangentially from thedrain body 24 is an :outlet 30 adapted for connection to a drain line31-in the floor 16.

Attached to the upper circular edge of the drain body 24 is a flangedring 312. This ring has an upper flange 34 slightly below the plane ofthe floor surface. The drain cover 36, formed with a multitude of drainopenings 38,'is bolted to the ring flange 34. The drain cover 36 has acenter opening `46 through which the lower, small diameter end of theshell 12 extends.

The illustrated shower fixture provides a pluralityof t shower stat-ions42 uniformly angularly spaced about the fixture. Each shower stationincludes a shower head 44, preferably of a compact, institutional type,i.e., without a long arm, and a pair yof hot and cold water valves ofthe shell, through holes inthe shell wall and are threaded into the bodyvof each shower head.

The hot water valves 46 are mounted directly over their associated coldwater valves 48.` Each of these valves comprises a valve ,body` 52mounted in `any convenient way lwithin the shell and a valve handle 54-lo- `cated on the outside of the shell.

Piping for conveying water to the shower heads comprises a pair of hotand cold water `supply pipes 60 and 61, respectively, in the base ordrain 14. These pipes 66 and 61, which are .connected to water supplypipes (not shown) in the oor 16, are exposed through the upper face 26of the boss 26 to the lower, small diameter end of the shell 12,

Extending axially through the lower. end `portion' of the shell 12 are apair of hot and cold water pipes 63 and 64. The -lower ends of theselatter pipes are releasably coupled to the upper ends -of the supplypipes 66 and 611m the :base 14 by quick connect and disconnect couplingsto facilitate installation and to permit the shell 12 to be readilyremoved from the base, when desired. This can be accomplished byprov-iding simple slip ycouplings 66 and 61 between the pipes,` as shownin the drawings. O-ring seals may be used tofseal the couplings, asindicated. Accordingly, to install the lixture, it is simply lifted to aposition above the oor drain, the pipes 63 and 64 guided into the slipcouplings, and the mounting ange or plate 118 then lowered ontothevdrain seat 20. Insertion of` screws 22 and placement of drain cover36 then completes the installation.

The shell may be removed for repair, of course, by

reversing these simple steps. t Y

Pipes `63 `and 64 extend upwardly through the shell` 12 and terminate atthe approximate level of the valves 46 andy 48, respectively. The upperend of the hot water pipe 63 terminates` somewhat above the upper end ofthe cold water pipe 64, as may be readilyobserved in FG. 4. A cold watermanifold ring V65 is connected to the upper end of theV cold Water `pipe64. Similarly, a hot water manifold ring 66` is connected t-o the upperend of the hot water pipe 63. The manifold rings 65 and 66 extend aboutthe inside `of the shell 12 and are locatedin planes 4perpendiculartothe axis ofthexshell. For convenience,

the hot and cold water valves 46 vand 48 are Vlocated benected to thehot water manifold ring 66. i Each cold water valve 46 has a lower inlet70 connected to the cold water manifold lring65. The outletsof each pairof hot and cold water valves-are connected by a T 74. Extending fromeach T to the adjacent shower head 44 is a riser 76; From thisdescription, it is evident that cold water flows to the ixture throughthe cold water pipe 61 in the base 14 and flows upwardly `to the `coldwater manifold ring 65 through the cold water pipe 64 in the shell 12.Similarly, hot water flows to the fixture through the hot water pipe 66inthe base 14` and then ows upwardly to the hot water manifold ring 66'through the hot water pipe 63. When one of thev cold Water valves isopened, water flows from the Coldwater manifold ring 65, through thevalve, and the associated riser 76 to the respective shower head 44.When one of the hot water valves lis opened, hot water ows fromthe hotwater manifold `ring 66 to the associated shower head. If both valves ofa shower station are opened, of course, both hot and cold water flow tothe associated shower head, the hot and cold water becoming mixed duringflow through` the riser 76.

Also mounted on the shell 12 are a plurality of liquid soap dispensers78. These soap dispensers are supplied with liquid soap from a soap`tank 80 mounted within the upper end of the shell 12. This soap tank ismounted in any convenient way, such asV bymeans of brackets 82 which areclamped to an adjacent pair of `risers 76. The

` liquid soap is conveyed from the tank tothe dispensers 78 through amanifold ring 84 and a riser 86 which extends from the ring 84 to thesoap Ytank 80. Soap dispensers 78 have nipples 8S which are insertedthrough holes in the shell 12 and are threaded in radial outlets 9th onthe soap manifold ring 84. The dispensers are attached to the shell 12by nuts 92 threaded on the inner end of the dispenser bodies.

Extending from the upper end of the soap tank 80 is a vent pipe 94. Thesoap tank is filled through a filler fitting 96 which extends through an'opening in the shell 12 at a point midway between a pair of adjacentshower stations.

The upper ends of the shell 12 is closed by a cover 98. This cover isremovable to permit access to the inside of the shell 12 through itsupper end. Such access is necessary for initial assembly and subsequentservicing of the shower fixture.

From the preceding description, it is evident that the shower fixture ofFIGS. l-6 has a substantial number of unique functional features andadvantages. One of these is the inherent Vandal-proof design of thepresent sloping panel and shower head arrangement, in combination in acomponent geometry which tends inherently to save on hot water. In thisconnection, the invention takes account of the fact that the nearer thebather stands to the shower head, the less hot water will be consumed,since the ejected spray rapidly loses heat in its travel from the showerhead to the bather.

In the past, forward placement of shower heads, i.e., near the bather,has commonly been accomplished by the use of goosenecks or otherforwardly extending supports for the shower heads. These existing showerhead supports are undesirable, especially for school use, however, sincethey are frequently damaged by students hanging on them. According tothe invention, compact, institutional-type shower heads are employed,avoiding long arms of goosenecks which are subject to damage asdescribed. These shower heads are mounted directly on the inverted coneor conic side wall, which is of suiiiciently large radius at thelocation of the shower heads, and sufficiently lesser radius at thelower elevation of the valve handles thereon, that the valve handles arethereby located rather substantially inward of the shower head nozzletips, and the consequence is that the average bather, in order to bewithin convenient reach of the valve handles, automatically standsrelatively closer to the shower head than he would otherwise do. It willbe clear that with given shower heads and valves handles, projectinggiven distances outward from the side wall of the fixture, the outwardlysloping disposition of the side wall of the invention positions theshower heads substantially outward of the positions they would occupyrelative to the valve handles were the side wall to be Vertical betweenthe shower heads and valve handles, as in the past. As heretoforedescribed, this represents .a conservation of hot water which, for asubstantial number of shower fixtures, and over a period of time, hasvery material significance.

Another advantage of the fixture is that the one-piece conic shell 12functions not only to afford a sloping mounting panel for the Severalshower heads, valves, etc., but the same simple structure serves andfunctions ideally as a strong, laterally stable, single-componentsupporting column, of minimized bulk for the functions it is called uponto fulfill. This is in contrast to the more complicated and costlyexisting free-standing shower fixture designs in which a housing, whichfurnishes the panels for mounting the shower heads, valves and soapdispensers, and the supporting column for the housing comprise separatecomponents which are joined in some way. The shower fixture, therefore,minimizes -both the number and cost of required manufacturing operationsand the precision of those operations. To be stressed again is theincreased lateral rigidity, strength and stability of the fixture due tothe constantly increasing diameter of the conic shell 12. Thisincreasing diameter of the shell also lends increased rigidity orresistance against lateral oscillation or rocking :of the fixture ascompared to one having a lower supporting column of constant, relativelysmall diameter.

lt is evident that the simple, unique cone shape of the fixture ideallyaccommodates interior equipment. That is to say, the space occupied bythe piping in the lower end of the shell 12, i.e., pipes 60, 61, 63 and64, is relatively small so that the diameter of the lower end portion ofthe conical shell 12 necessary to accommodate this piping can also besmall. The space necessary to conveniently accommodate the manifoldrings, valves, and interconnecting piping, on the other hand, isrelatively large in horizontal area, so that the upper end portion ofthe shell 12, Iin the region from the valves to the shower heads, mustbe of' ya larger diameter. Obviously, and as cleasly `appears from aconsideration of FIGS. l, 4 and 6, the inverted cone shape of thefixture uniquely fulfills these two functional requirements Iin a mostsimple and inexpensive manner.

A further feature is the great facility with which the showerinstallation may be dismantled for repair. After removal of screws 22,the shell and interior equipment is simply lifted from the floor drainbase. It can then be laid on its side, the shower heads removed bytaking out screws 50, and the valves freed by removing their handles andstems, the latter in accordance with common practice. The entireinterior hot and cold water piping assembly is then free of the conicalshell, and can be easily removed through the large end of the cone, oras easily replaced. The striking simplicity of these operations, madepossible by the conical shape of the fixture, should be readilyapparent.

It is evident that the shower fixture herein described and illustratedis fully capable of attaining the several objects and advantagespreliminarily set forth.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosedfor illustrative purposes, it should be understood that numerous othermodifications in design, arrangement of parts, and instrumentalities arepossible within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

We claim:

l. A shower fixture comprising:

a frusto-conical shell,

a mounting flange rigidly fixed to the small end of said shell andprojecting outwardly therefrom,

a plurality of shower heads mounted ou said frustoconical shell at acircumferential spacing from one another in the region of the largerdiameter portion of said shell,

a control valve for each shower head mounted on said shell and includingan operating handle projecting outwardly from said shell, and

water piping within said shell leading to said valves and from saidvalves to said shower heads.

2. The subject matter of claim l, wherein said water piping includes:

hot and cold water supply pipes running longitudinally through thefrusto-conical shell from the small end thereof to points distantlyspaced from said small end and at which said shell is of materiallyincreased diameter,

hot and cold water manifold rings in said shell connected to said supplypipes at said points,

said piping including connections between said manifolds and valves andpipes leading from said valves to said shower heads.

3. A shower fixture comprising:

a hollow column in the form of an inverted frustoconical shell,

mounting means rigidly afiixed to the smaller diameter lower end of saidinverted frusto-conical shell,

a plurality of shower heads mounted directly on the relatively largediameter upper end portion of said truste-conical shell atcircumferential spacing therearound,

control valve means mounted on said shell at a level below each showerhead including a valve handle means projecting outwardly from saidshell, and

water piping within said shell leading to said valve means and from saidvalve means to corresponding shower heads.

4. The subject matter of claim 3, wherein the angle of inclination ofsaid frusto-conical shell and the vertical distance between the showerheads and valve handle means mounted on said shell are such as to locatesaid shower heads a material distance outward beyond the positionsoccupied by the valve handle means.

5. A shower xture installation comprising:y

a frusto-conical shell,

a mounting plate lixed to the small end of said shell and projectingradially outwardly therefrom, said mounting plate being apcrtured toafford a water pipe passage into the small end of said shell,

a plurality of shower heads mounted on said frustoconical shell at acircumferential spacing from one another in the region of the largerdiameter portion of said shell,

a control valve for each shower head mounted on said shell and includingan operating handle projecting outwardly from said shell,

water piping within said shell leading to said valves and from saidvalves to said shower heads, said piping including water pipes in saidshell running generally longitudinally thereof from the small end ofsaid shell toward said valves,

a stationarily installed mounting fixture including a seat engageable bysaid mounting plate, together with fastening means for securing saidmounting fixture against said seat,

external water supply pipes having end portions connected to saidstationarily installed mounting xture `and continued through said seatin the area encompassed by the small end of said shell, and

slip coupling joints between said end portions of said yexternal watersupply pipes and said ylongitudinally running water pipes in said shell,said'pipes and slip joints leading into said small end of said conicalshe-ll through said apertured mounting plate xed to said small end ofsaid shell. y

6. A shower xture installation comprising:

a hollow column in the form of an inverted frustoconical shell,

a base fixture to be sationarily mounted on the oor of a shower roomincluding a portion affording a horizontal seat for said column,

a mounting flange xed to thesmall lower end of said shell and projectinghorizontally outwardly therefrom, said mounting flange being engageablewith said seat, Y v

fastening means securing saidilange against said seat,

a plurality of shower heads mounted on said frustoconical shell at acircumferential spacing from one another -in the regionof the largerdiameter portion of said shell,

a control valve for each shower head mounted on said shell and includingan operating handle projecting outwardly from said shell, and

water piping within said shell leading to said valves and from saidvalves to said shower heads.`

References Cited by the `Examiner UNITED: STATES PATENTS 2,825,909-3/-58 Morris 4-145 2,885,689 5/59 Morris 4-145 2,991,943 7/61 Mullett etal. a 239-280 'LEWIS l. LENNY, Primary Examiner.

Vi-:DwAnD v. BENHAM, Examiner.

1. A SHOWER FIXTURE COMPRISING: A FRUSTO-CONICAL SHELL, A MOUNTINGFLANGE RIGIDLY FIXED TO THE SHELL END OF SAID SHELL AND PROJECTINGOUTWARDLY THEREFROM, A PLURALITY OF SHOWER HEADS MOUNTED ON SAIDFRUSTOCONICAL SHELL AT A CIRCUMFERENTIAL SPACING FROM ONE ANOTHER IN THEREGION OF THE LARGER DIAMETER PORTION OF SAID SHELL, A CONTROL VALVE FOREACH SHOWER HEAD MOUNTED ON SAID SHELL AND INCLUDING AN OPERATING HANDLEPROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SHELL, AND WATER PIPING WITHIN SAID SHELLLEADING TO SAID VALVES AND FROM SAID VALVES TO SAID SHOWER HEADS.